Classroom of the Elite

Classroom of the Elite
is a Japanese light novel series written by Shōgo Kinugasa, with illustrated by Shunsaku Tomose. The novel published from May 2015 to September 2019 under Media Factory's MF Bunko J imprint, a sequel began publishing in January 2020. A manga adaptation by Yuyu Ichino began its serialization in Media Factory's Monthly Comic Alive on January 27, 2016. A manga adaptation of the sequel light novel series illustrated by Shia Sasane began serialization in the same magazine in December 2021. An anime television series adaptation produced by Lerche aired with the first season in 2017. A second season aired from July to September 2022, and a third season is set to premiere in January 2024.
Set in the prestigious national high school "Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing School" established by the Japanese government, the story around a class "Class A" that can advance almost 100% to the desired path after graduation.
Plot
The Japanese government has established the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing School, dedicated to instruct and foster the generation of people that will support the country in the future. The students are given a high degree of freedom in order to closely mimic real life.
The story follows the perspective of Kiyotaka Ayanokōji, a quiet and unassuming boy, who is not good at making friends and would rather keep his distance, but possesses unrivaled intelligence and incredible physical ability. He is a student of Class-D, which is where the school dumps its inferior students, widely considered "defective". After meeting Suzune Horikita and Kikyō Kushida, two other students in his class, the situation begins to change and he starts to get involved in many affairs, and his thought of an ideal normal high school life begins to get scattered.
Media
Light novels
Classroom of the Elite
The series is written by Shōgo Kinugasa with illustrations by Shunsaku Tomose with total eleven volumes and three short volumes have been published from May 25, 2015, to September 25, 2019, under Media Factory's MF Bunko J imprint. Seven Seas Entertainment has licensed the series. On February 17, 2021, Seven Seas announced it released a new version of volume seven due to the localization decisions in the original omitting several paragraphs.
Classroom of the Elite: Year 2
A sequel light novel series, titled , is written by Shōgo Kinugasa with illustrations by Shunsaku Tomose and has been published under Media Factory's MF Bunko J imprint since January 2020. As of October 2023, ten volumes and two short volumes has been released. Seven Seas Entertainment has also licensed Year 2.
Manga
Classroom of the Elite
A manga adaptation illustrated by Yuyu Ichino began serialization in Media Factory's Monthly Comic Alive magazine on January 27, 2016. It has been collected in twelve tankōbon volumes as of February 22, 2022. Seven Seas Entertainment has also licensed the manga and the first volume was released in February 2022.
Classroom of the Elite: Horikita
A spin-off manga illustrated by Sakagaki and centered around the character Suzune Horikita was serialized in Monthly Comic Alive from June 2017 to May 2018. Its chapters were collected in two tankōbon volumes. At Anime Expo 2022, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they licensed the spin-off for English publication.
Classroom of the Elite: Year 2
A manga adaptation of the sequel light novel series illustrated by Shia Sasane began serialization in the Media Factory's Monthly Comic Alive magazine on December 25, 2021. It has been collected in two tankōbon volumes as of April 2023.
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced and aired from July 12 to September 27, 2017, on AT-X and other channels. Seiji Kishi and Hiroyuki Hashimoto directed the anime at Lerche. Aoi Akashiro handled the series composition, Kazuaki Morita designed the characters, and Ryo Takahashi composed the music. The opening theme "Caste Room" is performed by ZAQ, and the ending theme "Beautiful Soldier" is performed by Minami. Crunchyroll streamed the series with subtitles and Funimation streamed the English dub. iQIYI added the series onto its platform in 2022, Q3, and Thai dub of the series is available as well.
On February 21, 2022, it was announced that a sequel was in production. The series was later revealed to be two additional seasons, with Lerche returning as the studio. The second season is directed by Yoshihito Nishōji, with Kishi and Hashimoto returning as chief directors, Hayato Kazano replacing Akashiro as the scriptwriter, and Morita returning as the character designer. Masaru Yokoyama and Kana Hashiguchi are composing the music, replacing Takahashi. The second season aired from July 4 to September 26, 2022. The opening theme "Dance in the Game" is performed by ZAQ, and the ending theme "Hito Jibai" is performed by Mai Fuchigami. The third season was originally scheduled for 2023, but was later delayed to January 2024 due to "various circumstances".
Notes
References
External links
Light novel official website
Light novel Year 2 official website
Anime official website
2015 Japanese novels
2017 anime television series debuts
2020 Japanese novels
Anime and manga based on light novels
AT-X (TV network) original programming
Crunchyroll anime
Fiction with unreliable narrators
Funimation
Kadokawa Dwango franchises
Lerche (studio)
Light novels
Media Factory manga
MF Bunko J
Muse Communication
Psychological thriller anime and manga
School life in anime and manga
Seinen manga
Seven Seas Entertainment titles
Upcoming anime television series